Ditch-digging gauge



May 29, 1956 w. DUMLER 2,747,292

BITCH-DIGGING GAUGE Filed March 22, 1954 IN V EN TOR. WAL TEE 20M: EAyiiT/fith DITCH-DIGGING GAUGE Walter Dumler, Covina, Calif.

Application March 22, 1954, Serial No. 417,599

4' Claims. (Cl. 33-185) This invention relates to a gauge to determinethe level below-the surface and the transverse squareness of the bottomof a ditch or trench. Departure from proper grade of a ditch being dugby a ditcher may result from either or both longitudinal and transverseangularity, or slope of the surface along which the ditcher progressesin operation. It is common practice to provide a guide line or wireinitially stretched between stakes or stations alongside of where theditch is to be dug and at a suitable elevation above the road surfaceand to use said wire as a reference line relative to which the grade ofthe ditch is maintained.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improvedgauge that is adapted to be adjustably mounted on a ditcher and havegauging association with a guide line to apprize the ditcher operator ofvariations in the desired disposition, as to depth and transversenormality, of the excavating boom of the ditcher to, thereby, enablesaid operator to make the necessary adjustments in the disposition ofthe boom if the same is indicated.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a workingposition and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture,relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description. However, the drawing merelyshows and the following description merely describes, one embodiment ofthe present invention, which is given by way of illustration or exampleonly.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in theseveral views.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational viewof the present gauge and shown mountedon a ditcher in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said gauge.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken front view.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View as taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

The ditcher that is shown in Fig. 1 is intended as conventional ofmachines that excavate ditches or trenches as they are propelled along asurface or roadway in which a ditch is being dug. Essentially, such amachine comprises a chassis 5 that is mounted on traction means 6 so asto be moved along a surface 7. Said chassis, as at 8, pivotally and/ orotherwise adjustably mounts the carriage of a ditch-excavating boom 9that is adapted to dig a trench or ditch 10 as the ditcher is propelledtoward the right, as in the drawing. The grade or depth of the trench10, in this case, is determined by the angular disposition of said boom,being deeper when the boom is at a relatively steep angle and shallowerwhen said angle, with relation to surface 7, is reduced.

Such machines usually have the excavating boom 9 disposed centrally ofthe sides of the machine with the traction means 6 on each side so as totravel along surtadi States Patent",

face 7 on each side of the trench being dug. Consequently, should saidsurface 7 be higher on one side of the trench than on the other, theboom, conforming to the resultant transverse cant of the ditcherchassis, will become elevated relative to the low side of the surface 7and the trench being dug will be shallower than desired. In any case,the trench will not be on grade. Forward and rear ward tilt of theditcher mayresult from the surface 7 being angular longitudinally,thereby either raising or lowering boom 9 with resultant variation inthe grade of the trench.

The ditcher that is illustrated embodies a seat 11 from which vantagepoint an operator may follow the different movements of the boom andmake adjustments in the disposition thereof, as desired. However,because the operator is positioned on chassis 5, he cannot, with anydegree of accuracy, determine when boom adjustment is needed nor thedegree of such adjustment. The present gauge 12 is provided for thispurpose and the same is used in association with a line 13, mounted onsuitable stakes or the like 14 and arranged along a suitable levelalongside of where the trench is to be dug and clear of the machine asthe same is operating. The gauge 12 is mounted on the boom carriage onthe side of the ditcher where the operator is stationed.

The present gauge comprises, generally, a mounting arm 15, means 16 toadjust the upward and downward disposition of said arm, means 17 on thefree end of arm 15 and adjustable in a vertical plane to be settable inhorizontal position regardless of the sloping position of said arm, aswivel 18 carried by the end of means 17 and rotational on a verticalaxis, and a gauging pendulum 19 carried by said swivel and mounted totilt transversely on a horizontal axis longitudinal to the line ofmovement of the ditcher.

The arm 15 is mounted on the chassis on a pivot 20 so as to be movablein a vertical plane around said pivot. Said arm is constructed as arigid truss and, at its free end, is provided with a transverseextension 21 that terminates at the medial line or plane of the boom 9.Said extension 21 terminates in a mounting end 22 that resides on saidmedial plane.

The means 16 is shown as a turnbuckle 23 connected to the chassis at 24and to arm 15 at 25. The same enables angular adjustment of said arm tobring end 22 in suitable relationship to surface 7 or gauge line 13.

The means 17 comprises a plate 26 secured to end 22 in verticaldisposition, as shown, a second plate 27 in fiatwise contact with plate26 and rotationally angularly adjustable relative to said plate 26 on ahorizontal pivot bolt 28 that is used to lock the adjustment, and athird plate 29 affixed to plate 27 and in a plane transverse to thelatter plate. It will be clear that pivot bolt 28 enables adjustment ofplate 29 to a horizontal position regardless of the angular dispositionof arm 15.

The swivel 18 is shown as the outer race 30 of a ball bearing andafiixed to plate 29, the inner race 31 of said bearing, washer plates 32at each side face of race 31, and a bolt 33 serving to clamp inner race31 and plates 32 together so as to be revoluble in outer race 30. Thethickness of the inner race is slightly greater than that of the outerrace enabling such swivelability of the inner race.

In this case, the bolt 33 is used to secure a clevis 34 to the bottom ofthe swivel. The gauging pendulum 19 is mounted on a bolt 35 extendingacross the fork in said clevis.

The pendulum 19 comprises a depending bar 36 that has one end fittedwith a ball bearing 37 and disposed in the fork of the clevis with bolt35 passing through the inner race of said heating. Thus, said bar isfreely pendant. The other end of said bar is bored transversely to theaxis of bolt 35 and in said bore is fitted a tube 38 that mounts anadjustable counterweight 39. Said tube 38' extends in one direction(away from the side of the gauge arm and of gauge line.13), and anelongated feeler rod 40 extends in the opposite direction toward saidgauge line. Said rod may be extended or retracted so its end ispositioned adjacent to line 13, as suggested in Fig. 2. Thecounterweight 37 may be adjusted to achieve a level position of rod 40and, therefore, balance of the pendulum.

The rod 40 is maintained in an accurately transverse position by aspring 41 extending between a tab 42 on the clevis 34 and atension-adjusting arm 43 that is locked by bolt 28. If, at any timeduring the use of the gauge, the transverse disposition of rod 40 isdisturbed, as by encountering the end of a stake '14, the swivel 18 willenable the end of said rod to wipe by such interfering element andspring 41 will restore the rod to transverse position.

It will be seen that the gauging pendulum normally has only pivotalmovement on the axis of bolt 35. Actually, the pendulum gravitationallymaintains a vertical position and the arm 15 and the parts affixedthereto move with the ditcher chassis movement as caused by unevennessin surface 7. Unless such movement of the ditcher from a level positionis material, the relationship between gauge line 13 and the end of rod40 is not altered. However, a material front to back change of angle ofthe ditcher will be immediately observed because the rod 40 will eithermove away from the gauge line 13 or the end of said rod will cause atilt in the pendulum. Also, any material change in the transverse angleof the ditcher, depending on which is the low side, will similarlydisturb the established gauging relationship between line 13 and the endof rod 40.

It will be noted that the swivel 18 serves only to restore rod 40 totransverse position and does not enter into the gauging operation. Thelatter results from the singleplane pendulum, as described.

When the operator observes the variations in position of rod 40, asabove, he makes the necessary changes in the angular disposition of theexcavating boom to restore the grade of the trench being dug by theditcher.

While the foregoing illustrates and describes what is now contemplatedto be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the construction is,of course, subject to modification Without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict theinvention to the particular form of construction illustrated anddescribed, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

l. A gauge for operative association with a gauge line and adapted to bemounted on a ditch-digging machine,

a vertical axis, a horizontal pivot bolt carried by said swivel,resilient means to normally hold said bolt in a plane of travel of saidmachine, and a pendulum carried by said bolt and having a rod with oneend of said rod being in operative association with said gauge line.

2. A gauge mechanism for use with a ditching machine and a gaugereference line strung along a ditch, said mechanism including a gaugearm mounted on said machine and having a gauge end, a horizontal swivelmounted at the gauge end of said arm, said horizontal swivel beingrotatable about a vertical axis, a clevis supported by said horizontalswivel, said clevis having a horizontal axis, a pendulum suspended fromsaid clevis, and spring means for biasing the position of saidhorizontal axis into a plane of travel of said machine for preventingfree oscillation of said pendulum in a horizontal plane and around saidvertical axis.

3. A gauge for a ditch-digging machine comprising a gauge arm having oneend thereof mounted on said machine and the other end disposed in alongitudinal plane of said machine, a horizontal swivel rotatable abouta vertical axis mounted on said other end of said arm, a clevisconnected to and rotatable with said swivel, said clevis having ahorizontal pivot bolt across the fork thereof, a pendulum suspended fromsaid bolt, said pendulum being rotatable in a plane transverse to thelongitudinal plane of said machine, and resilient means interconnectingsaid clevis and the other end of said arm to bias said bolt in alongitudinal direction.

4. A gauge for a ditch-digging machine comprising a gauge arm, said armhaving one end mounted on a ditchexcavating boom and the other enddisposed in the medial longitudinal plane of said boom, a horizontalswivel rotatable about a vertical axis mounted on said other end of saidarm, a clevis connected to and rotatable with said swivel, said clevishaving a horizontal pivot bolt across the fork thereof, a pendulumsuspended from said bolt, said pendulum being rotatable in a planetransverse to the medial longitudinal plane of said boom, a laterallydirected rod carried by said pendulum, said rod also being rotatable ina transverse plane and in operative association with a gauge line, andresilient means interconnecting said clevis and the other end of saidarm to bias said bolt in a longitudinal direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,194,460 Yocum Aug. 15, 1916 1,969,522 Penote Aug. 7, 1934 2,489,196Reising Nov. 22, 1949 2,580,954 Przybylski Jan. 1, 1952

